Bob Chinn's Crab House — Restaurant in Wheeling Township

Bob Chinn’s Crab House Review – Wheeling, IL (2/5 stars)

I recently visited Bob Chinn’s Crab House in Wheeling, IL, to celebrate a special occasion with a group of six. While the restaurant has built a reputation for its fresh seafood, my experience didn’t quite match the expectations set by the hype.

Ambiance & Décor: The ambiance at Bob Chinn’s was certainly interesting. The decor feels very much like a time capsule from the early 2000s, with Hawaiian shirt-clad servers, a tiki bar, and vibrant island-themed elements. It was almost like stepping into a retro beach-themed restaurant, which certainly sets the tone for a casual, festive atmosphere. One of the more notable features was the impressive display of large seafood on the walls, which caught the eye and added a quirky, larger-than-life charm to the space. Additionally, it was fascinating to see a few celebrities passing through during our visit, which gave the place a bit of star-studded intrigue.

That being said, the décor, while nostalgic and fun for some, could definitely use an update. The Hawaiian theme felt a bit dated, and the overall look didn’t feel as polished as one might expect from a restaurant with such a long-standing reputation.

Service: Unfortunately, the service was a low point during our visit. Our server seemed distracted and was not as attentive as we would have liked, especially considering that the restaurant wasn’t particularly busy. When I ordered the medium garlic shrimp, she mentioned that it often wasn’t well-received, with many customers sending it back. After hearing it was a birthday celebration in our party, she recommended the scampi shrimp as an alternative. While I appreciated the suggestion, it made me wonder if she would have been as forthcoming if we hadn’t mentioned it was a special occasion. Either way, I ended up with a dish that was decent but felt incomplete—no noodles, just shrimp.

Food: The food at Bob Chinn’s was a mixed bag. I went with the scampi shrimp based on the server’s recommendation, but the dish arrived without noodles, which I had expected. While the shrimp were fine, the dish lacked the richness and depth I had hoped for.

One of my companions tried the African lobster tails, which were a major disappointment. They were rubbery, bland, and underseasoned, leaving much to be desired. Another guest had the stuffed basa, which they thought was fine but nothing remarkable. The lobster roll was similarly underwhelming—it was tough, bland, and didn’t deliver on the promise of a flavorful seafood experience. One guest remarked, “Should’ve listened to the reviews.”

I opted for the whole seabass, steamed “Asian style.” Unfortunately, this dish missed the mark completely. It lacked the depth of flavor I expect from an Asian-inspired dish and tasted overwhelmingly sweet, with a soy sauce-heavy profile that drowned out the delicate taste of the fish. It felt like a one-note dish, rather than the balanced, flavorful experience I had hoped for.

The garlic rolls, a signature item at Bob Chinn’s, were also a letdown. They arrived greasy and stale, which was disappointing given how much they’re talked about.

The Bright Spot: The wagyu burger was the one shining star of the meal. It was flavorful, juicy, and perfectly cooked. This dish was the clear favorite among our group, and there were no complaints from anyone who ordered it.

Overall: For the prices at Bob Chinn’s Crab House, I expected better food and service. While the seafood was fresh in some instances, the overall experience didn’t justify the cost. The décor and environment were fun but felt a bit dated, and the service was lackluster for a place with such a long-standing reputation.

Although I’m glad I gave it a try, I won’t be returning. It was my first visit, and while we were there to celebrate a special occasion, the experience didn’t meet my expectations. With so many other great dining options in the area, I would likely choose somewhere...

Not sure if it was the time of day we went but we were somewhat disappointed. Even though they corrected and comped my dish, food didn’t taste as good as I remembered from 4-5yrs ago. Menu is a lot smaller than I remembered.

Server needs a little bit better training. Came off as condescending/patronizing when I asked what he thought about my fish dish if it was raw. To him, that’s how it’s cooked. Medium rare but tbh it was rare. The manager inspected the dish since it was one of their specialty dishes. He came to me and apologized on serving the dish uncooked and it didn’t even look right. When the server came back, he said they’ll take care of me and they’ll cook it how I want. I want it cooked!! Not raw and cold. Then he got use excited by asking if we wanted dessert while we waited for my dish to be remade the way I like it. He said they had cheesecake and warned us that it was think! What we were served was NOT cheesecake (see photo). We didn’t say anything besides it was alright if it was cheesecake but server kept referring it to “cheesecake”. It was more of a lemon cake.

I took my wife here to celebrate an occasion and she loves salmon. My wife was not impressed being her first time and I was embarrassed for taking her here since I raved how good their seafood was on our way to the restaurant.

Since the manager did comp my dish to try and correct the raw,uncooked fish (not how I like Mr Server), I did add one star. Otherwise, would have been a one star or no star. We’ll only come back if we get invited for a...

Wow this place bring back memories. I used to come here all the time long time for their Mai Tai and kona crab. So many years later, I was craving some fresh seafood so we decided to come here again. The Mai Tai is as good as I remember it. Of course, some of their menu has changed a lot since then. I know they change their menu and prices daily/weekly depending on what they caught fresh that week. The beautiful interior stays like a time capsule, almost the same since I remember them. Service never disappoints. This time, we had Lucianos as our server. He is amazing! He explained the menu to us, and brought us a crab platter so we could visualize how big things were or about the difference all the crabs they have on the menu were. We ended up ordering clam chowders and fresh oysters as our starters and King Crab legs, King Crabs bites, Bacon Scallop and North Atlantic Scallops as our entrees. We devoured all of them happily since they were all delicious. And of course we couldn’t end our meal without Bob’s paradise Pie and chocolate chips cheesecake, the perfect ending for our meal. Bottom line, although their seafood is fresh and everything was so enjoyable, the price might unfortunately keep us from coming back here. I know the market price for all this is expensive, so nothing against Bob Chinn. So if anything, we’d probably come and visit again if we wanted to splurge, but not for a regular night out. Oh and I might come for their fresh oyster (fresh and good price!) and of...